Upon Isaaco's Asking Him If He Knew What Had
Become Of Park, He Burst Into Tears, And Said, "They Are
All dead!" On
Isaaco's inquiring the particulars, Amadi Fatouma, whom Park had, in his
letter to Sir Joseph Banks, described
As a man of intelligence and
acuteness, produced a journal, written in Arabic, containing a narrative
of all he knew upon the subject. We shall give a summary of the principal
facts contained in this document, the veracity of which has been amply
confirmed by the researches of subsequent travellers.
Amadi Fatouma accompanied Park, Lieutenant Martyn, three soldiers, and
three slaves, in the vessel, which had been built for the purpose of
descending the Niger; and which, though clumsy, was not ill-adapted for
inland navigation, being flat-bottomed, narrow, and schooner-rigged, so
that she could sail with any wind. After two days voyage, they arrived at
Jenne, to the chief of which place Park gave a present. They sailed on in
perfect safety till they came to the lake Dibbe, where three armed canoes
attacked them, but were beaten off. They were again attacked at Kabra or
Rakbara, the port of Tombuctoo, and also at Gouramo. In these encounters
several of the natives were slain. About this time one of the three
soldiers, who had been suffering under mental derangement, died. Their
course lay towards the kingdom of Haussa, and they were obliged to keep
constantly on their guard against the natives, who frequently sailed up
to them in armed canoes, and molested them from the banks of the river.
But fortunately they were not only well provided with arms and
ammunition, but had also laid in a large stock of provisions, before
leaving Bambarra, so that they were able to sail on without touching upon
the shore, so long as they dreaded the hostility of the inhabitants. At
Caffo some of the people on shore called out to the guide, "Amadi
Fatouma, how can you pass through our country without giving us
anything?" Accordingly, a few trifling articles were thrown to them.
After they had passed this place, the navigation became difficult and
intricate, the course of the little vessel being interrupted by shallows,
and by rocks almost closing up the river, and dividing it into narrow
channels. At length they anchored before Goronmo, where Amadi Fatouma
landed to purchase provisions. The chief of this place seemed well
disposed towards Park, for he warned him that a body of armed men were
posted on a high rock commanding the river, to cut off his little party.
Here Park remained all night; upon passing the place next morning he saw
a number of Moors, with horses and camels, but unarmed, from whom he
experienced no molestation. The guide was engaged to accompany them no
farther than the kingdom of Haussa. Before he departed, Park said to him,
"Now, Amadi, you are at the end of your journey. I engaged you to conduct
me here. You are going to leave me; but before you go, you must give me
the names of the necessaries of life, &c. in the language of the
countries through which I am going to pass." Amadi accordingly remained
two days longer, till they arrived at the kingdom of Yaour, where he
landed, with a musket and sabre for the Dooty, and some other presents;
and also some silver rings, flints, and gunpowder, as a present for the
king of Yaour, who resided at a little distance. The Dooty asked Park,
through Amadi, "Whether the white men intended to return to that place?"
Park answered that "he could not return any more." The Dooty acted in a
covetous and dishonourable manner, keeping back the king's present, and
retaining it for his own use. Amadi's narrative proves that this actually
caused Park's murder. After the schooner had gone on her way, Amadi slept
on shore, and then went to do homage to the king. When he entered the
king's residence, he found that the treacherous Dooty had already sent
two messengers to the court, to say that the white men had passed down
the river without giving any thing either to the Dooty or to the king,
and that Amadi was in league with them. The guide was immediately thrown
into prison. The king then dispatched an armed band to attack Park as he
passed the town of Boussa; a place peculiarly fitted for the murderous
deed, as there a ridge of rock almost entirely blocks up the river,
leaving only one channel, which Lander, who saw the spot, describes as
"not more than a stone-cast across." Upon this rock the king's force was
stationed. No sooner did Park and his companions attempt to pass this
point, than they were received with a shower of stones, lances, pikes,
and arrows. They defended themselves bravely, in spite of the
overwhelming numbers opposed to them. At length their efforts became
feebler, for they were soon exhausted. Two of the slaves at the stern of
the canoe were killed; nevertheless they threw every thing in the canoe
into the river, and kept firing. But as the canoe could no longer be kept
up against the current, they endeavoured to escape by swimming; Park took
hold of one of the white men and jumped into the river; Lieutenant Martyn
did the same, and they were all drowned in their attempt to reach the
land. The natives still discharged missiles at the remaining black in the
canoe; but he cried out for mercy, saying, "Stop throwing now, you see
nothing in the canoe, and nobody but myself, therefore cease. Take me and
the canoe, but don't kill me." He was accordingly carried, with the
canoe, to the king. Amadi Fatouma was detained in irons three months, at
the expiry of which period he learned these facts from the slave.
As a proof of the truth of this narrative, Isaaco brought with him the
only relic of Park which he was able to procure - a sword-belt, which the
king of Yaour had converted into a girth for his horse.
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